Detroit - what the Hell happened?!?!
 

As if it isn't bad enough that it took Detroit 18 years to get from this:
http://www.automotivehistoryonline.c...cot%202003.jpg

to this:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articl...ntrepid_es.jpg

which is a watered down version of this:
http://img.netcarshow.com/Dodge-Intr...llpaper_02.jpg

but now they've gone backwards to this:
http://cdn-www.rsportscars.com/image...06_04_w800.jpg

at the same time Honda is making this:
http://image.motortrend.com/f/107957...+side_view.jpg

IMHO, whoever pulled the plug on the LH sedan must have had a big serving of stupid for breakfast.

GM could have put the 1980 Epcot concept into production by 1985 and been making it virtually unchanged for the last 23 years, and it would still be relevant, as form follows function, at least to some extent.

Would be nice if the bailout package required Chrysler to put the ESX2 into production with a PHEV power train, instead of slapping a Ram head on the front of an ugly Lotus.

And what was so bad about the old days when fender skirts were cool (or reet or whatever) instead of nerdy?
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/...bel-air-10.jpg

This is what happened

http://www.huffingtonpost.com//gadge...lide_78_0.jpeg

What happened? They had their heads ... well, I can't type it in polite company.

I don't get the part about the Civic...?

The muscle car mentality Civic I think

I use to own a 1959 Impala. While the aero on that wasn't the greatest, especialy at the point where the tail created lift, it still had front wheels tucked in far enough to turn without exposing them to the air stream and rear skirts. Not to mention the dam thing still looks beautiful 40 years later.

But to directly answer your question .... greed is what happened, they moved away from advancing the product to advancing their lifestyles.

what
 

In the book, "Buckminster Fuller's Universe," a conversation which took place at Walter Chrysler's estate,between Walter and Bucky,will be of great interest to anyone who would like to understand why things are the way they are.And in light of who received the first bailouts in the U.S.A.,it takes on remarkably dark undertones.

This says it all:

snopes.com: Letter to General Motors

^^

Wow